Shared Paths or Road.

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leximack
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby leximack » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:47 pm

i use a combination of both and really just depends on what sort of riding i am doing at the time and what i feel like.
The paths are great for relaxing and just enjoying the morning air, but if i want to go hard and work the legs then i use the road, but luckily for me 99% of the roads i use have a dedicated cyclelane so its good either way.

Don

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Mububban
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby Mububban » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:41 pm

I much prefer riding on the road, for me riding from Greenwood to Nedlands, I find the bike paths really twisted and convoluted for my crap sense of direction :D

However I stick to the paths now to avoid getting squished, my wife worries and I've had so many close calls, I'm prefering getting mildly lost rather than almost hit on a daily basis (as I saw happen to a familiar female commuter get knocked down by a taxi last Friday).
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

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trailgumby
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby trailgumby » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:58 pm

jasimon wrote:
trailgumby wrote: There was one woman talking to her girlfriend, the pair taking up the entire width of the path, both sides of the centre line. Woman on right heard my call "passing on the right", turned around, looked at me, refused to budge. "Pedestrians have right of way" as I slowed down to walking pace and took to the grass to go around.
Quick comebacks always elude you when you need them, but I believe the appropriate response is "Courtesy is free".
Thanks, I'll use that if I have the presence of mind. :) Better than my first response, which is less courteous. :oops:

thepeddler
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby thepeddler » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:23 pm

Mububban wrote:I much prefer riding on the road, for me riding from Greenwood to Nedlands, I find the bike paths really twisted and convoluted for my crap sense of direction :D

However I stick to the paths now to avoid getting squished, my wife worries and I've had so many close calls, I'm prefering getting mildly lost rather than almost hit on a daily basis (as I saw happen to a familiar female commuter get knocked down by a taxi last Friday).

Hope the female commuter was ok?

It can be a bit dicey on the roads. I was cycling on the road down to work in Fremantle one morning on the road from Sorrento to Trigg. A guy in a four wheel drive and a great big oversize boat on a trailer almost took me out. I had to jump of the road on to the footpath. Scared the crap out of me. Lucky I was on the old CRX4, wouldn't want to jump kerbs on the new bike.

I agree that the northern freeway path is very convoluted, luckily the ride to Fremantle is a bit more straight forward. Though I do take a detour through Cottesloe just to check out the view.

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nickobec
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby nickobec » Tue Apr 07, 2009 11:14 pm

Given the choice between 8km shared paths or 5km of quiet roads to freeway. I take the roads, far smoother surfaces, safer intersections and quicker.

Before the new back roads, the last 2km where down an interesting bike path at 35kmh+ descent over rough concrete, twisty corners, lots of overhanging trees and crap on the path. Really got your blood pumping on winter mornings in the dark.

Next 34km is on the shared path along the freeway from Thomas road to the City. Can't complain great path unlike our north of the river counter parts.

Once I hit the city it is roads, it just works better for me, not quite the crazed urban courier, but far more aggressive than I am in downtown kwinana, but there the car drivers are real cowboys.

Darcey.brooks
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Cycling on great eastern highway

Postby Darcey.brooks » Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:17 pm

Hey has anyone cycled on the great eastern highway to Kalgoorlie? If so would love to here from you! Was it scary? Busy? Thanks! :)

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Mububban
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Re: Cycling on great eastern highway

Postby Mububban » Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:13 pm

Darcey.brooks wrote:Hey has anyone cycled on the great eastern highway to Kalgoorlie? If so would love to here from you! Was it scary? Busy? Thanks! :)
You'll get passed by a lot of very large road trains. My closest shave ever was riding up Greenmount Hill as a teenager, and a B-double gave me a close pass. The driver decided he'd pull back over as soon as his cab was past me, and the wind of his truck started sucking me towards his trailers. By the time the second trailer passed me it was centimetres from my right elbow.

You'll probably get a better response posting this question in its own thread.

Back to the original topic, my commute is 60$ road, 40% shared path. I cycle a few kms extra distance each way to use that 40% PSP.
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

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jaseyjase
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby jaseyjase » Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:32 pm

Gday fellow Perthie,

99% road for my Marangaroo to City commute.

Theres the odd breakdown lane which is nice (mirrabooka ave and flinders), Bus Lane only on Fitzgerald is a welcome addition during peak, but most drivers dont seem to care and still drive on it.

Only shared paths i ride is over the train line once in the city, and the short path along Northwood Dve in Dianella.

Kronos
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby Kronos » Sun Jan 07, 2018 12:01 am

I ride on the road mostly, and with a however but... Sometimes it inevitable that the road is just to dangerous, the situation at the time is unsafe, and so I hop the curb on a driveway and cycle on on the footpath. This also goes for dangerous sections of road and red lights. If I feel that its more dangerous to stop and pedal back up to speed at a light I'll hop the curb and continue on my way on the pedestrian crossing if I have to.

In the end what matters most is my own life and safety, and I'll do whatever it takes to maintain it even if that's at the accusation of being a rude and dangerous cyclist. If it helps any I cycle on a road bike because its the most efficient mode of transport and I'm getting a bit old to be riding one of those kids flat bar mountain bikes and not old enough to ride a road bike with a flat bar and get away with it.

zebee
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby zebee » Sun Jan 07, 2018 4:34 pm

I am shared paths mostly as the Cook's River path is flatter than the road route and few intersections. Then a little bit of road and more path through Homebush and Rhodes then a bit more road then Shrimpton creek path.

I'm not a fast rider, 20-25 on the flat and a lot less up hills so flat bike paths are a much better deal.

When I go into the CBD I use almost no bike paths because the ones available are not direct enough. So every destination is a tradeoff between ease of use and distance. I'll do the Cook's/Homebush/Shrimpton and eat the 20km compared to the onroad 17km because I prefer flat and no intersections.

Weekends are a bit different, lots more walkers and the narrower paths are a problem as have to slow down just in case... But so far all peds understand a bell and do the right thing.

It has to be a bell though. Calling out or squeaky toys really just don't register.

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Thoglette
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Cocktails, anyone?

Postby Thoglette » Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:36 pm

Like many, a real mix, depending on purpose, weather, route and timing.

As most of my riding will be followed by a shower I'm biased towards using the road so I can ride more quickly & directly. If I'm not showering then there's more footpath, to avoid the need to sprint with traffic.

It's a rare day when there's more than 20% "shared path" on any of the "top three" route choices between A and B.
Stop handing them the stick! - Dave Moulton
"People are worthy of respect, ideas are not." Peter Ellerton, UQ

AdelaidePeter
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby AdelaidePeter » Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:05 pm

Shared path, wherever possible. Pedestrians are far less dangerous than cars, and the speed difference, at least for me, is almost zero. I'm fortunate to have a ~10 km route in Adelaide which is, at a guess, about 40% shared path and most of the remainder is fairly quiet roads following a train route.

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kb
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Re: Shared Paths or Road.

Postby kb » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:29 pm

Mostly road pre-baby. Mostly shared path post-baby. Koonung ck + main Yarra trail is a great resource though, so at least there is a choice
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